Tidal irrigation and electrical system (TIES)

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this tidal irrigation and electrical system (TIES) is to harness the power of the tide to generate electricity, create sustainable aquaculture and generate hydrocarbons and/or ethonals and/or other products derived from biomass, all the while furnishing a CO 2  sink.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] We are suffering from a shortage of sustainable energy. Manypeople have tried to use aspects of the potential energy of the oceanbut have failed to come up with economically viable designs. In the pastparts of the system such as OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion) whichhave used cold water to generate electricity have been plagued by stormdamage as well as the fact that a substantial amount of the energy isused up in bringing the denser water from bellow up to the surface. TheBiomass generation aspect of OTECs also have not been properly exploitedbecause of the immense scale needed for containment. Tidal schemes havefailed due to the ecological damage caused and the high cost and wavepower represents only a tiny proportion of the energy of the ocean.Also, the world continues to harvest most of the fisheries inunsustainable ways, and modern aquaculture methods leave a lot to bedesired because of problems with diseases, escapes and feeding.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The purpose of this system is to harness the power of the tide togenerate electricity, create sustainable aquaculture and generatehydrocarbons and/or ethonals and/or other products derived from biomass,all the while furnishing a CO₂ sink. TIES maximise the potential energyabsorption and extraction in a give area of ocean by utilising all ofthe different methods by which solar energy is deposited there.

[0004] TIES operate on the understanding,

[0005] 1) that the tide is actually a gravitational bulge on the surfaceof the ocean.

[0006] 2) Tropical oceans lack nutrients and so are relatively lifelesscompared to the amount of solar radiation that they receive.

[0007] 3) nutrients necessary to create extremely fertile oceans lies1000 m below the surface. These nutrients are in the perfect proportionto support plankton blooms. This fertility could surpass the mostfertile of land based growth.

[0008] 4) waters at 1000 m are cold if brought to the surface thedifference between the temperatures can be exploited to makeelectricity.

[0009] 5) plankton can be filtered from seawater to make biomass.

[0010] 6) biomass can be converted in to alcohol, petrochemicals,fertilisers, protein and many other useful substances.

[0011] 7) in order to maximize and facilitate the tidal bulge intransporting the cold, nutrient rich water from where it resides to thesurface a closed, impermeable/semimpermeable structure must beconstructed with a tube which extends beyond the thermoclines.

[0012] 8) many attempts to construct OTECs have failed due to the needto connect a huge pipe to the surface.

[0013] 9) by creating an Artificial Atoll on the continental shelf, thepipe, which rests well bellow the surf is protected, and when it doescome to the surface it can come inside the protection of the lagoon.

[0014] 10) a lagoon, if properly irrigated could be as it was drained asource of biomass

[0015] 11) tidal exchange in an irrigated lagoon would need someaquaculture to prevent eutrification

[0016] 12) if directed or channelled, the tidal flow can be harnessed onthe inflow and outflow to generate electricity via a turbine.

[0017] 13) the greater the surface area of a lagoon, the greater theflow of a directed or channelled tide, and the lower ratio ofcircumference to area.

[0018] 14) most tropical continental shelves are composed of sand andshelf debris which can easily be dredged to form artificial islands

[0019] 15) with a base of sand and shell, industrial platforms can beplaced without the great cost of a floating platform

[0020] 16) by creating a sandbar network much of the destructive powerof the surf can be avoided by any island.

[0021] 17) wave power itself can be turned in to electricity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 Overview of TIES

[0023]FIG. 2 Cross-section of one of the island walls of an ArtificialIsland

[0024]FIG. 3 Ariel view of one of the walls of an Artificial Atoll

[0025]FIG. 4 Flow chart showing the movement of water through the system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] By creating an Artificial Atoll on the continental shelf with onepipe which opens to deep water (1000 m) and the cold, nutrient richwaters that lie there and another pipe which dumps the used water fromthe TIES in to the ocean surrounding the installation and closing offthe pipes in this fashion: As the tide comes in the deep water inflowpipe is open and the outflow pipe is closed, and when the tide goes outthe deep water inflow water pipe is closed and the outflow pipe is open(See FIG. 1). Although a TIES can be constructed out of an existingatoll, island or bay structure, it is not recommended as it will causesignificant disruption to natural ecosystems.

[0027] The construction of a TIES involves several components:

[0028] 1) The inflow pipe. One end of which is connected to deep water(1000 m) down and the other which leads in to the system

[0029] 2) The outflow pipe. One end of which is connected to the TIESand the other which empties the used water from the system far enoughaway to prevent tidal destruction of the Artificial Atoll.

[0030] 3) The mail body of the Artificial Atoll (AA) is made up of sandand small amount of clay both of which can be dredged locally in mosttropical and subtropical environments and possibly landfill at the verybase of the island wall. (see construction)

[0031] 4) The inflow electrical plant (see inflow electrical plant)

[0032] 5) The inflow and outflow thermodynamic pipe (see inflowelectrical plant, subsections 2 and 4

[0033] 6) The outflow electrical plant. (see outflow electrical plant)

[0034] 7) The biological processing plant. (see biological processingplant).

[0035] Plants

[0036] Inflow Electrical Plant

[0037] This complex can have any or all of these systems.

[0038] 1) Inflow turbine to generate electricity off of the incomingtide supplied by pipe from below.

[0039] 2) OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy conversion).

[0040] 3) Fresh water condensation from encapsulated water supplied bythe deep water inflow pipe and the exterior air. 4) Warm water intakeconsisting of a pipe which takes water from the ocean outside the TIESfor the OTEC system with a shunt to the main lagoon to increaseplanktonic breading stocks.

[0041] Outflow Electrical Plant

[0042] This complex can have any or all of these systems.

[0043] 1) Outflow turbine to generate electricity off of the outgoingtide from the Artificial Atoll's lagoon which has been channelled intothe system via the out going tide pipe.

[0044] 2) Biomass filtration system.

[0045] Biomass Processing Plant

[0046] This complex can have any or all of these systems. The complexitself is optional as the biomass can be transported off site bywhatever means are appropriate. 1) Fermentation and reduction tanks,specifically for the creation of traditional fuels based on anaerobicreactions.

[0047] 2) Electrical generation based on the products of fermentationand reduction.

[0048] 3) Bio-electric cells which consume biomass directly.

[0049] Construction

[0050] There is no maximum depth required for a TIES but a minimum depthshould be at least one third of the tidal exchange. Of course there aremany ways to construct the TIES but the following method will probablybe the cheapest.

[0051] 1) Lay all pipes and electrical cables which connect the TIES tothe surrounding area and resources.

[0052] 2) Construct all plants and installations off site.

[0053] 3) Dredge the Artificial Atoll from the surrounding thecontinental shelf. (see FIG. 2) Again, there are many ways to create theArtificial Atoll, from Seament® m(laying a wire mesh which CalciumCarbonate electrically bonds to landfill and cement.) to using minetailings. It all depends on local conditions, cost and ensuring abiologically neutral barrier which prevents the tide from moving beyondthe confines of the directed channel.

[0054] 4) Cover the Artificial Atoll in sand.

[0055] 5) Plant mangroves and dune stabilising plants on the ArtificialAtoll. (see FIG. 3)

[0056] 6) Transport and install all plants connecting them to all pipes

[0057] Size

[0058] There is no upper or lower limit to the size of a TIES, howeverthe proportion of volume to circumference goes up as circumference isincreased.

[0059] So a TIES with a radius of 2 km has a circumference of 12.566 kmand a surface area of 12.566 km² and a TIES with a radius of 10 km has acircumference of 62.8318 km and a surface area of 31,415.926 km². Basedon rough projections 16.5 million m³ of material would need to be put inplace at 20 m depth to construct an artificial atoll with a radius of 10km and based on the rate of movement of material being being 1 m³/sec itwould take 7 months of continuous placement.

[0060] Power Output

[0061] A TIES with a radius of 2 km with an average tidal exchange of 2m has a daily volume exchange of 50,264 m³ and has a daily electricaloutput of around 12357 kW/hr off of tidal energy alone. (Figures arebased on the hydroelectric formula POWER (kW)=5.9×FLOW×HEAD) A 10 kmradius TIES puts out close to 31 gW/hr of tidal electricity. Poweroutput from OTEC and biomass is dependant on too many factors to put inthis format.

What is claimed is: 1) A system where by cold, nutrient rich water isbrought to the surface of a by means of a pipe which extends down (1000m). 2) The method for bringing this cold, nutrient rich water to thesurface is by creating a lagoon with no direct access to the sea. 3) Asthe tidal bulge moves across the surface of the earth, the surface ofthe lagoon will rise in relation to the bottom. 4) If the only access tothe surrounding water is via this pipe which extends down to 100 m,cold, nutrient rich water will flood in to the lagoon. 5) In order tofacilitate Biomass filtration, maximum tidal exchange and electricitygeneration an outflow from the artificial atoll other than the coldwater intake pipe. (See claim 6 for uses) 6) The cold, nutrient richwater and the tidal bulge can be used for all of the following uses:Generation of Electricity: Direct generation of electricity is possiblefrom two sources in a TIES Tidal: By placing turbines in the inflow andoutflow pipe near constant power can be derived from the flow of thetide in to and out of the Artificial Atoll. Ocean Thermal EnergyConversion (OTEC): There are several different systems available forharnessing the temperature gradient between the cold, deep water and thewarm surface water. Experimental plants have been constructed in Japan,Cuba and Hawaii Generation of Biomass: As the nutrient rich waterinteracts with sunlight plankton will reproduce in huge quantities, thisbiomass can be filtered and used to generate combustibles such asmethane or alcohol. Other products likely from the biomass includeacids, bases, aluminum, chlorine and fertilisers. Also, Biomass can beused to generate electricity via bio-electric cells. It is not necessaryto process the biomass at the site of the TIES. Aquaculture: Thenutrient rich water will be as productive as the most productive land onearth, if not more so. Even if only a biproduct of the TIES, it will benecessary to have some aquaculture. Clams, crabs and other bottomfeeders will be necessary to prevent the system from silting up.Conversely the TIES can be used to generate vast quantities of cashcrops like oysters and fish, not forgetting the protein from thephytoplankton itself. Fresh Water Drinking water in the ocean:Condensation from the cold water intake system and thermodynamicexchange can be utilised to generate fresh water. 7) Wave Power It ispossible to ring the TIES with transmuters which turn wave power in toelectricity.